Why did Hernan Cortes take Montezuma hostage?
While Aztec emperor, Montezuma had a famous confrontation with Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. He initially welcomed Cortés but, when unable to buy him off, laid a trap in Tenochtitlán. Cortés, however, took Montezuma prisoner, hoping to prevent an Aztec attack.
Why did the Aztecs welcome Cortes?
But, in the 1500s, when the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes, entered Aztec territory with a small band of his men, the Aztec misunderstood why they were there. The Aztecs through they were sent by their god, Quetzalcoatl. They were trying to keep their gods happy so the god would postpone the end of the world.
Is Montezuma a good person?
He Was a Great Warrior and General Montezuma was a brave warrior in the field as well as a skilled general. If he had never shown great personal bravery on the battlefield, he never would have been considered for Tlatoani in the first place.
Who was a famous conquistador?
The two most famous Spanish conquistadors were Francisco Pizarro, who conquered the Incan Empire, and Hernán Cortés, who took the Aztec Empire.
Did conquistadors kill children?
New research suggests Spanish conquistadores butchered at least a dozen women and children in an Aztec-allied town where the inhabitants sacrificed and ate a detachment of Spaniards they had captured months earlier.
What did the conquistadors think of the Aztecs?
Cortés began to march inland towards the city of Tenochtitlan, the capital city of the Aztec Empire. He conquered some cities along the way and made alliances with others. The Tlaxcalans became his closest allies. They hated the Aztecs because they had raided their cities for people to sacrifice to their gods.
Did the Aztecs really think Cortés was a God?
An unnerving series of coincidences led Montezuma to believe that perhaps Cortés was the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, who had promised to return one day to reclaim his kingdom. Quetzalcoatl, “the feathered serpent,” stood for the solar light, the morning star. He symbolized knowledge, arts, and religion.
How did the Aztecs lose to the Spanish?
The overthrow of the Aztec Empire by Cortez and his expedition rests on three factors: The fragility of that empire, the tactical advantages of Spanish technology, and smallpox.